by Daria Wright

Do These 5 Things Before Your Next Relaxer

There are some offenses that are regularly committed by clients and by many hairstylists that I need to address.

BEFORE you get your relaxer touch-up service :

1. Do not shampoo your hair the day of, or even up to several days before visiting your stylist. Early in my career, I had a particular client who would practically jump out of the chair the instant I applied a no-lye relaxer to her fully based scalp. It took a few failed attempts before I ruled out every thing I could think of and then I finally discovered through a detailed consultation that she would shampoo and style her hair directly before she arrived at the hair salon for her appointment! Her reason was that she was too embarrassed to show up to the salon with soiled hair. In fact, vigorous and rough combing, brushing or any otherwise over stimulation of your scalp should be carefully avoided prior to chemical application. When you treat the scalp roughly you actually cause tiny abrasions or cuts on your scalp that you can’t see but will definitely feel once the chemical is applied to your scalp. In this case, a few days dirt won’t hurt.

2. Wait before you receive a permanent hair color application. Permanent color services should be done two weeks following the relaxer service ( if even at all). The relaxer chemical will affect the results of the hair color, not the other way around. Plus, the hair needs a sufficient amount of time to adjust in between major chemical services.

3. Avoid vigorous exercise or the wearing of any tightly fitted hat/scarf. Doing either for an extended period of time just prior will likely cause you to be super heated and thereby causing your scalp to perspire. Your pores wide open. This will make your scalp more sensitive and less able to tolerate the necessary chemical processing time. So make sure you plan enough time get to your appointment. You don’t want to have to race to get to your appointment , while wearing your hat because you’re having a bad hair day only to ruin your chances of having a good touch up because you’re now sweating so profusely. Relax, breathe, and take your time.

4.Your hairstylist should thoroughly examine your scalp. A responsible and professional stylist should be checkingto see if there are any scalp conditions present that would inhibit the successful application of the relaxer. This goes for each and every time you receive any chemical service. I’ve often postponed a clients’ relaxer service to a later time when the scalp was in better condition.

5. Your hairstylist should apply a protective base cream to your entire scalp. This crucial step is often skipped by stylists for several of the following reasons: Carelessness/ Cockiness– they think they’re so good they don’t “need” to do that, Laziness – they just don’t want to do it because it takes 5 more minutes of their time and effort

Poor appointment management- they are “running behind” so they have to cut corners

None are good enough reasons to risk harm to your scalp based on professional mishandling.

Have you had a bad experience with a relaxer done by a hairstylist ? Please share your comments on this post.

Do These 5 Things Before Your Next Relaxer was last modified: March 30th, 2013 by Daria Wright

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Daria Wright, is an Emmy Award-winning celebrity hairstylist based in the New York City metro area. Her wealth of experience as a stylist and hair care professional includes work in TV& film, fashion print, advertising and beauty salon ownership. She is a licensed cosmetologist for 15+ yrs and Editor-in-Chief of HairdoDaily.com